Indiana State Department of Health

Meaningful Use Information

On July 28, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released their final rule for the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program as a complement to the final rule on standards and certification released by the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). (The final rule can be accessed at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17207.pdf.)

As part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, or the "HITECH Act," these final rules provide authority to establish programs to improve health care quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care through the promotion and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT), including qualified electronic health records (EHRs) and private and secure electronic health information exchange.

Through the CMS EHR incentive program eligible providers and hospitals can receive incentive payments once they have shown that they are able to implement certified EHR technology and/or have demonstrated "meaningful use." Included in the strategies for demonstrating "meaningful use" of the EHR systems are three objectives related to public health: submission of immunization registry data, submission of syndromic surveillance data and submission of reportable laboratory reports.